Improving Water Quality
Today and Tomorrow
Dan ShapleyWater Quality Program Manager
Future of the Wallkill RiverApril 23, 2015
Improving Water Quality
• Riverkeeper’s Role
• Community Water Quality Monitoring Results
• What We Can Do
155 miles
74 sample sites
Thousands of samples taken since 2008
Dr. Andrew Juhl
Dr. Gregory O’Mullan
Hudson River Estuary Water Quality Monitoring
• Ashokan Center
• Catskill Creek Watershed Awareness Project
• Gardiner Environmental Conservation Commission
• Lower Esopus Watershed Partnership
• Montgomery Conservation Advisory Council
• New York City Water Trail Association
• Quassaick Creek Watershed Alliance
• Rochester Environmental Conservation Commission
• Rosendale Commission for Conservation of the Environment
• Sparkill Creek Watershed Alliance
• Wawarsing Environmental Conservation Commission
… and dozens of individuals
Community Partners
Community Science Projects
Catskill Creek
Esopus Creek
Rondout Creek
Wallkill River
Pocantico River
Sparkill Creek
Quassaick Creek
NYC Area
Percentage of samples above EPA-recommended Beach Action Value, based on single-sample counts of fecal-indicating bacteria
Frequency of Contamination Varies
from Tributary to Tributary
Percentage of samples above EPA-recommended Beach Action Value, based on single-sample counts of fecal-indicating bacteria
Frequency of Contamination Varies
from Tributary to Tributary
National W
ildlife
Refu
ge
Pellets
Isla
nd
Gosh
en
Gosh
en
Wallk
ill (T
)
Wallk
ill (T
)
Montg
omery
Montg
omery
Montg
omery
County L
ine
Gale
ville
Gard
iner
New Paltz
New Paltz
Tillson
Above S
turg
eon Pool
Below S
turg
eon Pool
Rondout Cre
ek
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
Magnitude of contamination
Geometric mean (GM) is a weighted average of 17-19 Enterococcus samples per sample site.
Entero count (GM)
National W
ildlife
Refu
ge
Pellets
Isla
nd
Gosh
en
Gosh
en
Wallk
ill (T
)
Wallk
ill (T
)
Montg
omery
Montg
omery
Montg
omery
County L
ine
Gale
ville
Gard
iner
New Paltz
New Paltz
Tillson
Above S
turg
eon Pool
Below S
turg
eon Pool
Rondout Cre
ek
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
EPA Cri-teria
Wallkill River Exceeds EPA Swimming Criteria
Entero count(GM)
National W
ildlife
Refu
ge
Pellets
Isla
nd
Gosh
en
Gosh
en
Wallk
ill (T
)
Wallk
ill (T
)
Montg
omery
Montg
omery
Montg
omery
County L
ine
Gale
ville
Gard
iner
New Paltz
New Paltz
Tillson
Above S
turg
eon Pool
Below S
turg
eon Pool
Rondout Cre
ek
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
Water Quality Enters Each County “Better”
Entero count(GM)
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
Dry GM Wet GM
Rain Dramatically Increases Contamination
Entero count(GM)
Wallkill River Watershed: All Samples (377)
What We Can Do
Wallkill River Watershed Group
Be the Voice for the River
Be a Partner for elected officials, agencies like the DEC, and organizations like Riverkeeper
Update Management Plan
Take Action
Your Task Tonight
A. Identify Current Challenges
B. Express Your Vision
C. Identify Actions to Get from A to B
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